Water spot woes & a smearing quick detailing spray.

[iluvmercs]

Evening everyone.

I'm hopeful you guys and gals can offer me some advice please with my two questions.

First, I pressure washed the car the other month, that being it as I had no time to wash it properly. A few days passed then upon washing in the usual manner, the car was covered in water spots. Detail spray and spray wax, along with the actual washing hasn't got rid of it.

Will a light clay bar rid the paint of this awful looking finish, or am I looking at harsher clays or perhaps correction? I've never clayed a car before, choosing to get a professional to do it, so I'm bit apprehensive about marring the paint. Any suggestions for products would be greatly appreciated!

Second, a recent switch to Meg's Quik Detailer spray hasn't been too successful. The microfibres just seem to push the spray around the paint work and just smear. It takes a fair number of swipes with clean microfibres to eventually rid the smears, the cloths being left feeling very wet.
Never had this problem with a detailing/show spray before, so again any ideas and alternative products would be greatly received.

Finally, and additional to my above questions, could anyone recommend a decent sealer for post-claying? It would have to be a decent "filler" for the swirl marks
It would also have to be a decent base for my usual regime of a simple spray wax every other wash

Many thanks in advance,
Darren

Edited by iluvmercs on Saturday 12th July 20:20

[belleair302]

Always do a final rinse with an open hose and allow the water to sheet off of the car, less chance of water spots. The use something like Meguiars Last Touch as a dry aid, along with a decent towel, not a waffle weave. Spray each panel before drying and never wash a car in direct sunlight if in a hard water area.

The best detailing spray in my opinion although hard to find is Clearkote Quick Shine.

[belleair302]

So far as your final point is concerned spend some time looking at Bilt Hamber Auto Balm.

[ch427]

Ive always stuck to autoglym super resin polish, very easy to use and does contain fillers. If that does not get the marks out then you will need to try a slightly more aggressive product such as the paint renovator.
The extra gloss protection over the top is recommended but not essential.

[iluvmercs]

Thank you kindly for the replies and recommendations
I'll purchase some products and set to work

Darren

[iluvmercs]

Just thought I would update this further.

A keen detailing chum tackled a couple of spots while I was at a car show the other week using a non abrasiveness pre wax cleaner. This actually pulled off quite a few marks, so he then kindly invited me over during the week to tackle the rest.

Using a clay cloth, we removed a fair bit of the marks, then moved on to the non abrasive wax cleaner again.
One or two stubborn spots required a very mild abrasive cleaner, but I happy to report that the spots were only in the wax and they were all removed!

New wax applied, the car was back to it's shiny normal self
Gratuitous car photo:


Thanks again for the thread replies

Darren

[scottylovescars9]

Hey, I think your best bet is maybe changing the product you use to clean your car.

Autoglym is known to be the best of the best! So maybe give that a try.

Hope that helps

Scott

Edited by scottylovescars9 on Friday 15th August 17:02

[Defcon5]

Spot the shill!

[Bob CD]

Forgive me butting in here, but I've had a problem with water spots on 20-year old (probably more) paint. It rained, it wasn't even very hard rain, I didn't even put the hood up, but because there was so little, I didn't even sponge it off and now it's left rain spots on various flat surfaces.

I tried to remove the spots with car polish first of all, but that didn't work and nor did T-cut. Elsewhere in this thread, someone suggested distilled white vinegar and this being a cheap option at 50p for Mr Sainsbury's rotgut, I went for this, but although I was about to get quite excited because the spots initially seemed to disappear, they came back again.

So what is the solution? I note the use of expressions such as 'non-abrasive pre-wax cleaner' but I'm totally ignorant of what that could be or where I could get it. The spots have been on the car for several weeks now so you might suggest that they are fairly ingrained. Any help, of course, would be gratefully received, but bear in mind you're dealing with a bit of an ignoramus when it comes to this stuff, so words of one syllable (or not many more) please!

[Defcon5]

I can't see why polish isn't removing it - even the mildest abrasive should shift water marks